Lighter



March'l, 1949. A. F. REILLY, 2,463,424

LIGHTER Filed April 1, 1946 4 ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 1, 1949 UNITED STATES TENT OFFICE 2 Claims. 1

The invention relates to pyrophoric lighters and especially is concerned with protection of the flame from wind while assuring a supply of air to support combustion. To this end there may be provided a windshield surrounding the wick but cooperating with a base member which may be perforated to allow air to enter and rise about the wick as it burns. The windshield may be ar ranged to surround the wick or to be withdrawn from such surrounding position.

One embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in which Figure l is a side elevation of a lighter showing the invention. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the same and Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical fragmentary section on an enlarged scale on the line 4- 5 of Fig. l.

The invention may be applied to any type of lighter having a projecting tube for the flame. The lighter It has projecting from its top wall II a wick tube l2 from which projects a wick it which may be ignited in any usual or preferred manner as is well known in the art.

Surrounding the tube I2 is a flat disc or plate 14 which is provided with any suitable number of perforations It. A preferably U-shaped windshield 5 may be provided, the body portion thereof surrounding the wick I3 and resting on the perforated plate It in such a way as not to close the perforations ill but to surround them. The plate [4 is above or separated from the lighter top H so that air may go between them and pass through the openings l5 and up about the burn ing Wick. The windshield may be needed only when the lighter is used where there is a draft which might interfere with the burning of the Wick. When it is in use the lighter may be used to ignite cigars, etc., projected into the top of the windshield It. When in position, the body of the windshield rests against the plate and does not touch the lighter top H at that point but, as shown in Fig. 1, its ends may be formed or shaped as extending wings I'i wihich do extend to the lighter top and so prevent drafts directly on the wick. The wings I! may be pivoted or hinged at it to suitable supporting means on the lighter top so that the windshield may be lifted, as shown, to expose the wick for complete access at suitable desired times.

The specific construction or arrangement shown are not essential to the invention which may be embodied in other forms of apparatus.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a lighter having a wick tube projecting from its top wall, a fiat annular perforated plate surrounding the tube and spaced from the top wall, and an imperforate shield pivoted on the top wall and adapted to substantially enclose the wick, said shield resting on the edge of the plate so as to allow air to pass into the shield through the perforations of the plate.

2. A lighter as set forth in claim 1, wherein the shield is U-shaped and has ends providing extending wings which have greater depth than the shield body and which engage on said top wall.

ALFRED F. REILLY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,252,709 McCrone Jan. 8, 1918 1,642,373 Leins Sept. 13, 1927 1,877,362 Sackett Sept. 13, 1932 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 291,695 Great Britain June 7, 1928 

